What are the rules for capitalization in a resume? (2024)

As a Certified Professional with 20 years in Career Services, I have found that the best way to understand the topic of capitalization is to acknowledge the fact that resume grammar is not the same as regular grammar. To properly accentuate certain (essential) elements of your resume, it is useful to capitalize proper nouns, departments, companies, jog titles, technical programs, resume headings/partitions, and any other nouns that may be necessary to separate from other words in a sentence.

Hey there! When it comes to capitalizing in your resume, keep it simple and consistent. Capitalize proper nouns like your name, company names, and university titles. Also, start sentences with a capital letter, and don't forget job titles. Stay classy and capitalize on those opportunities! 😉

Capitalize proper nouns in company names. Abbreviations and acronyms should be capitalized. Capitalize job titles within company names. Avoid capitalizing generic terms like "corporation”. Small or informal companies may vary in capitalization.Maintain consistency in capitalization for a polished resume. Check official sources if uncertain about capitalization rules.

It is customary to capitalise names of companies, organisations, or institutions with which you have been affiliated or are seeking employment. This practice is a demonstration of respect and acknowledgement for these entities. Additionally, it is important to adhere to a company's specific nomenclature when capitalising, as exemplified by iTunes, where the 'T' is capitalised while the 'i' is not. This precision ensures accurate representation and alignment with the company's branding.

At the start of your education entries, capitalize the degree you earned (e.g., Bachelor of Arts, Master of Science). But like the name of a role, you don’t need to capitalize degrees if you’re mentioning them within a bullet or elsewhere (e.g., bachelor’s degree). You can also always use the abbreviated version, which gets the appropriate capital letters no matter where it appears (e.g., MA, JD, PhD).Similar rules apply to subjects and fields as to roles and degrees: When listing your education entries, you should capitalize the subject or field you studied. Here are a couple of examples:New York UniversityMA, English LiteratureUniversity of TexasBachelor of Science, Sociology

If degrees/certifications are part of the title then they should be capitalised otherwise there is no need to capitalise them. However, it is crucial to capitalise the actual names of the degrees, certifications, and also the institutions as well as professional bodies from where you have obtained those.

Akademische Abschlüsse und professionelle Zertifikate sind Meilensteine in deiner Karriere und verdienen es, hervorgehoben zu werden. Indem du sie groß schreibst, gibst du ihnen die Bedeutung und den Respekt, den sie verdienen. Es zeigt, dass du stolz auf deine Errungenschaften bist und diese ernst nimmst. Aber genau wie du sagst, allgemeinere Begriffe wie "Abschluss" oder "Zertifizierung" brauchen nicht unbedingt groß geschrieben zu werden, außer wenn sie Teil eines spezifischen Titels sind. Diese Unterscheidung hilft, die wichtigen Qualifikationen in deinem Lebenslauf hervorzuheben und macht es für den Leser einfacher, deine Qualifikationen auf einen Blick zu erfassen.

Translated

You should capitalize the names of specific skills, tools, or keywords that are relevant to your industry or the job you are applying for. This capitalization emphasizes their importance and ensures they stand out to recruiters who may be scanning your resume. For example, if you're in the field of software development, you might capitalize on skills like "Java programming," "Agile methodology," or "Python scripting." By doing so, you draw attention to your proficiency in these critical areas, and it becomes easier for potential employers to identify your qualifications.

This is interesting. I have seen a lot of resumes where skills is a new section altogether. In the event where you can making a new section named skills, please capitalise skill. Otherwise, no need to do it. But when it comes to the understanding of skills and keywords in general then they should be capitalised in all instances when you are starting a new sentences with them or when they are used as a proper noun or acronym in any sentence. The general skills, especially soft skills such as communication skills, leadership skills, team management skills, team leadership skills, et al. doesn't need to be capitalised.

Capitalize your name, section headings (e.g., "Experience," "Education"), and the first word in each bullet point or sentence. Capitalize job titles when they precede a name but not when mentioned generically. Capitalize acronyms and abbreviations consistently. Capitalize proper nouns, company names, and institutions. Be consistent throughout the document to maintain a polished and professional appearance. Proper capitalization ensures clarity and adherence to standard writing conventions, contributing to a well-crafted and visually appealing resume.

I usually put headings in all caps. For example WORK EXPERIENCE, EDUCATION, etc.You can also just write Work Experience. I think in instances like this you can do what you like best.

When it comes to the headings and sections names then I personally prefer to see all caps. If you don't prefer to do all caps then don't forget to capitalise the initials of your headings/sections names. Remember to not capitalise articles, conjunctions, or prepositions that are less than four letters long. Example: a, an, the, and, of, et al. The rules of capitalisation is crucial to be followed meticulously so that your final version of the resume looks professionally formatted and well reviewed. You can't afford to make any mistake in the resume as employers are receiving 100s of resumes for each job opening. You don't want to miss out on a great opportunity because of these small errors which a lot of folks make.

In a resume, capitalization should be used for proper nouns (for example, organizations and job titles) in addition to acronyms such as certifications (i.e., PMP). You may find it helpful to capitalize each resume section such as PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE or EDUCATION to make an impact.

Professional resumes must be properly capitalized. Capitalize proper nouns as required, such as your name, company names and specific positions (for example the position of Senior Marketing Manager). Sheets with headings such as Education and Work Experience should have capitalized main words. Acronyms (such as MBA, CEO) and specific degrees or certifications (“Bachelor of Science”) are capitalized. Capitalize the first word in sentences and all bullet points; professional titles (such as doctor, professor) before names only. Capitalization should be consistent to assure a refined and professional effect.